More Developments Regarding Dcn Orr

I heard from a visitor who had been searching the web for information on the former deacon at Our Lady of the Atonement, James Orr, and possible violation of Church guidelines regarding protection of children. The visitor had been connected with the Atonement Academy in the past and ran into a former student there, now grown. The visitor had apparently been unaware that Orr was since "retired" from the parish and that there is apparently now pending legal action. However,

Her classmates told her that Deacon Orr had invited three of her male class mates (they were in high school) to his home to “fix” his computer. The students reportedly found child pornography on his computer but did not dare to inform police.

After hearing this from [the former student] I immediately submitted a tip to the FBI online. An officer got in touch with me the following day. I gave him all the information I had but of course he needs to come into contact with the individuals themselves.

If anyone has contacted you with information about this incident please have them contact the San Antonio FBI, officer Jeffrey Allovio.

Jeffrey Allovio
Badge #624
FBI San Antonio Child Exploitation Task Force
(210) 650-6238 FBI office
(210) 777-0730 mobile

Thank you for publishing the information you have and calling on others who are in a position to do so to act.

From the incomplete information I've heard up to now about Orr's conduct, this appears to be a new allegation, but it certainly gives perspective to prior actions by the archdiocese in ordering Orr's retirement, as well as subsequent actions by the archdiocese in announcing a credible allegation of misconduct, and by the archdiocese and later the OCSP in barring him from the property, at least in theory -- this report from last March indicates he attends mass there whenever Fr Phillips celebrates it, and his apparent special relationship with Fr Phillips clearly continues.

Since at the time of this apparently new allegation, Phillips and Orr lived in homes on adjacent properties that were connected by a back gate, it's hard to imagine that Phillips did not know of students at the school being invited to Orr's home.

The visitor reports a "tense and strange environment" at the school at the time the visitor was there, which is borne out by other reports from OLA members. It's hard not to surmise that the availability of the school, and the exclusive "Episcopalian" atmosphere of the parish, led at least some parishioners to look the other way over the creepier aspects of parish life. It's also hard for me to avoid thinking that the OCSP priests who are trying to replicate the "Phillips model" of parish growth may be getting a bit too much in that bargain.